Hey there. Here's the next chapter. It explains a little about Lavendra's past. Most of your questions will be anwsered. And, of course, there's a big battle. Enjoy.
xRuler Line Does Not Workx
Mooneye made his way into the castile. He was going to finish what his father started – by stopping Lavendra from opening Kingdom Wolves. Mooneye also knew that Sora and Balto were inside the castile as well. He had to get to them before it is too late. He needed to warn Sora that he was heading straight into a trap. That Lavendra knows who the sacred wolf is and that the preparations are already set up for the scared wolf and for the ice crystals. Mooneye ran as fast as he can (destroying Heartless that were in his way with his Wolfblade), searching for Sora and Balto. His magical moon-colored eye was picking them up. Soon, Mooneye saw where they were. His eye had shown him that Sora, Balto, and a female rust and whip-cream colored husky were running up a fleet of stairs. They were heading to Cecelia's Chambers, where the preparations have been set up.
"Oh no…" Mooneye said. "I gotta stop them."
"And why is that?" said a dark and familiar voice.
Mooneye gasped and turns around. The woman made a sinister chuckle.
"Hello, Mooneye." She said.
Mooneye lowered his Wolfblade and stares at the woman with a terrifying look.
"I-It can't be…" He said. "You're…gone."
"Ah, yes, I was destroyed and placed into a wretched goblet to live out my days – thanks to another wretched Wolfblade Master, but I took the pleasure when my faithful subordinates put him out of my misery."
Mooneye aimed his Wolfblade at the woman.
"No!" He shouted. "You're not Lavendra! You're just fooling my mind! You have to… You must be!"
"Oh, my dear sweet Mooneye." said the woman. "I am indeed Lavendra. I'm just 'sharing' this body with my niece. Can't you tell? Then again…your father can easily master that eye far better than-"
Mooneye couldn't take it. He then charged and strikes the new body of Lavendra, who easily avoided his attack.
"Don't you EVER talk about my father, you witch!" Mooneye shouted. "You have no right to talk about him!"
"Oh, but I believe I do." Lavendra said. "After all, Huttser ruined my plans on searching for the scared wolf, after I destroyed that wretched she-wolf."
Mooneye was furious. He hasn't heard his father's name in a long time. And he didn't want to hear it from the woman who his father considered as an enemy and swore to destroy. Mooneye once again tried to strike the new body of Lavendra with his Wolfblade. But the witch avoided his attacks.
"Can't you see, Mooneye?" Lavendra said. "You're no match against me."
"No… I might not be." Mooneye said. "But the Keyblade Master is! And with the son of Aniu – the white she-wolf you destroyed in cold blood – they're both unstoppable! So you have no chance of opening Kingdom Wolves, Lavendra!"
Lavendra started chuckling. Soon her laugh was getting louder.
"You fool!" Lavendra said. "You didn't think I wouldn't come up with a plan by now, did you?"
Mooneye's eyes widen. Lavendra showed her sinister grin.
"I knew those two wouldn't dream of opening Kingdom Wolves for me unless…their dear friend is in trouble." She said.
"No…" Mooneye said. "YOU'RE NOT USING ME FOR YOUR SINISTER PLAN!"
He then, once again, tries to strike Lavendra with his Wolfblade. But Lavendra, once again, avoids his attack. She then blasts him, causing Mooneye to freeze like a statue. Lavendra laughed.
"You're pathetic, Mooneye." She said. "Your father was a better fighter than you'll ever be."
Meanwhile…
Sora, Balto, and Jenna were getting close to the top of the tower. Sora knew that there's a big battle up ahead, but he is ready. Cecelia and Lavendra have come too far and they need to be stopped once and for all. Finally, they were at the top. When Sora was about to open the door, something was bothering Balto inside his head.
This door… He thought. I-it's just like in my dream.
Sora opens the door. Inside, Sora, Balto, and Jenna couldn't believe where they were. The room was big and wide with nothing but five statues. Two were on each side of the walls and one was in the middle of the room. Also in the room was a giant gateway. Balto couldn't believe he was seeing.
No! He thought. This can't be… I-it just can't…
This is the exact room from his dreams. Sora looks at the statues next to the wall. Each of them had an insignia shaped like a fox, wolverine, bear, and a caribou. Sora takes one of the ice crystals out his pocket and puts it next to the insignia of the right animal. It was a perfect match.
"Guys, this must be the gateway to Kingdom Wolves." Sora said.
"To what?" Jenna asked.
"It's a long story." Sora said.
"So that's it." Balto said.
"Huh?" Sora asked.
"My dream." Balto replied. "This is the exact of room from my dream. My nose wasn't leading me to Cecelia or Lavendra. It was leading me to this room. This must be what I'm destined to do – to go into Kingdom Wolves. But I really don't know why. I don't have a reason to go. I'll I want to do is stop Cecelia from taking control of it."
Sora thought for a moment. But he couldn't come up with anything.
"I really don't know why you're destined to go into Kingdom Wolves either, Balto." He said. "Let's just look for Cec-"
Sora didn't finish his sentence. There was something about the statue in the middle that caught his eye. Sora walked towards it. Balto followed him. When they got a better look of the statue, Sora and Balto gasped.
"Mooneye!" They shouted.
It was indeed Mooneye. Someone or something had turned him into a statue. The expression on his face looked both angry and shocked. Sora and Balto couldn't believe what happen to him.
"Mooneye! Mooneye!" Sora shouted. "Who did this to you?"
"I believe that would be me."
Sora, Balto, and Jenna turned around. Sitting on top of the closed gateway was Cecelia. Or…that is who they thought it was.
"I needed some bait. So I used him." Cecelia said.
That voice… Balto thought. It isn't Cecelia's. It's… No! It can't be…
Sora also realized that it isn't Cecelia's voice. The new voice sounded older and far darker.
"Wait, y-you're not Cecelia." Sora said.
The woman chuckled.
"Well, it seems that you're quick on figuring out things." She said as she lowers herself to the ground.
"What have you done with Mooneye?" Sora demanded.
"I just simply turned him into a statue." The woman replied.
Her feet were now touching the ground. Sora got a good look at woman. It was Cecelia all right, but her green eyes were different. They didn't look human. It looked as though they belong to an evil creature. They were bright red and the black pupils were long and thin.
"Well who ever you are, let Mooneye go." Sora said. "Change him back to the way he was."
"Oh, I'd love to." said the woman. "But first, you must hand over the ice crystals and the sacred wolf."
"What?" Sora said. "I may have the ice crystals, but the sacred wolf isn't with me."
"Really…?" asked the woman. "Then who do you think this is?"
She pointed to Balto. Sora and Jenna looks at him, puzzled.
"Wait… It can't be Balto." Sora said. "He's…"
"Part wolf?" said the woman. "That may be. But he is indeed the sacred wolf. His heart is as pure as a wolf. He just didn't know it."
Just then, Balto felt his heart burning. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his chest with his paw.
"Balto!" Sora and Jenna shouted.
"What's happening…?" Balto coughed.
"See?" said the woman. "His heart is trying to open. It is destined to open Kingdom Wolves."
Balto was gasping for breath. He now knew why he was having those dreams. His heart was telling him that it is time – time to open Kingdom Wolves. But Balto didn't know for what reason though. Sora looks at the woman.
"How did you know that Balto was the sacred wolf?" He asked.
The woman chuckled.
"It's quite a long story." She said. "But I might as well tell you. I don't want you to be destroyed, not knowing what's going on. It all started many years ago. I was on a search for Kingdom Wolves. Back then, I didn't know how to get to it. However – thanks to my most faithful subordinate that died years ago – I knew that a sacred wolf is a key to help me open Kingdom Wolves. It's ironic though. It isn't a pure wolf that it's asking for, it's a hybrid wolf. It must've been made that way to make sure enemies never find it. But I knew. I even knew which hybrid wolf it is. It is the pup from that white wretched she-wolf – Aniu."
Balto gasped though it was a big mistake.
"Y-you knew my mother?" He asked.
"Oh yes." replied the woman. "I knew her. You have no idea how much I hated that wolf. She destroyed most of my plans of taking over this and other worlds. Her and that wretched raven, Saint, killed most of my subordinates."
"Saint?" Balto asked.
"You don't know, do you?" said the woman laughing. "You see, Aniu had this sort of power. She can leave her body and go into a flying creature's. Saint was her teacher and dear friend. She could see what ever the raven sees as he was flying above the sky. Then she met Huttser – Mooneye's father. He too, was a Wolfblade Master and had the moon-colored eye. But his was far powerful than Mooneye's. Aniu, Saint, and Huttser formed a plan on how to stop me and my subordinates. It almost worked. Most of my subordinates were destroyed. Only five survived and managed to escape. However, it sort of worked well in the end. I killed the wretched raven. Aniu was heartbroken. We both fought for a long time. Once the full moon was up, we stopped. I was completely weak, but Aniu wasn't. She gave me a choice to leave and never return. Because I was weak, I left, but I would return."
"Aniu thought it was over." the woman continued. "She soon fell in love with a husky and had you, Balto. Aniu actually thought she would live happily ever after. She was wrong. Aniu had somehow discovered that I returned and searching for her son. She, of course, knew about Kingdom Wolves and about her son being the sacred wolf, but she didn't want me to get him. So Aniu hid the pup and went looking for me. I found her and demanded her to give me her son. Aniu refused and told me that I might as well kill her. I, of course, took that generous offer. I pulled out my blade and slashed her. She was gone in an instant."
Balto growled at this. He always thought his mother died by a bear or a hunter for food or clothing. But she was murdered by this…witch in cold blood. Balto wanted nothing more than to rip the woman's throat into shreds, but he was too weak to even get up. Sora was even growling. He wanted to strike the woman with his Keyblade, but for some reason, he didn't move.
"After that, I thought I had to search for the hybrid." the woman continued. "But Huttser found me and wanted to destroy me. We fought for quite a while. I was winning the battle. Huttser was on his knees, exhausted. I took that chance to strike him, but he used his Wolfblade to block my attack. Soon I heard at familiar cry. I look up in the sky and gasped. The raven had returned. I couldn't believe my eyes and soon my ears. I then heard the she-wolf's voice. She was telling Huttser that he has the strength to stop me. I then realized that because they both have shared the same body when there were alive, Aniu and Saint's spirits have merged into one. Huttser had somehow grown this incredible strength and destroyed me. However, I had enough power to keep me from truly dying. But all of my powers were gone. The raven/wolf then formed a goblet and Huttser used it to keep me in there. I couldn't call my subordinates for help. The inferno goblet kept me from escaping. Huttser then took me to an underground chamber, sealing me in forever."
Sora and Balto now realized who the woman is.
"You're Lavendra." They said.
The woman chuckled.
"Yes. It is I. Lavendra – the future ruler of all worlds!"
"But…how did you get into Cecelia's body if you were trapped in the goblet?" Sora asked.
"Well, it seems that this is interesting to you, Keyblade Master." Lavendra said. "Well, if you must know. After my dear niece managed to come across the amazing Time Transporter and used it come to this time, she found my remaining subordinates. Cecelia told them of what has become of me and where I'm located. I knew of course that she knew all about this. After all, Morgra – my backstabbing sister and Cecelia's great, great, great grandmother – told her children and they told their children and so on. Cecelia was quite interested about Kingdom Wolves, but somehow, it was locked forever in her time. When she discovered the secrets of the Time Transporter, Cecelia thought she could go back to this time – the time I was nothing but a cloud of smoke stuck in a goblet, instead when I was in power – and use my subordinates to search for the ice crystals so she could rule Kingdom Wolves all by herself."
"I only allowed her to do this because she knew far more information than I had." Lavendra continued. "And so I could gain Cecelia's trust. You see, I needed a body and Cecelia's was a perfect match for me. Neon – my most intelligent subordinate – has come up with a spell for me to leave the goblet. The only problem is that Cecelia was too strong for me to take over her body. I needed her to get weak. So I sent her to fight you, Sora, and your canine friends. I knew Cecelia was no match for you and the hybrid's powers. But…I am."
Lavendra then cast a spell on Sora, Balto, and Jenna. They were frozen like statues.
"Enough talk!" Lavendra shouted. "Time for me to start doing something I've been dreaming of doing for years! Opening Kingdom Wolves!"
She then brought out a long green sword.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Lavendra said. "This is the same weapon I used to kill Aniu and her raven friend, Saint. Now, I'm going to use it on her son. The one she thought would grow and become a great hero to both Man and Wolf. What a joke?"
She then walked towards Balto. Balto was beyond furious. He has learned the truth about his mother and why so many things were happening to him. It was destiny. It has been destiny since he was born. Everything he has ever done till now was destiny. Balto was angry. He didn't want to open his heart for Lavendra to be destiny. Sora was struggling to break free of the spell. Lavendra was standing in front of Balto. She lifts up her left hand. All of the ice crystals came out of Sora's pocket and went to the statue they were suppose to.
"So, I release you now, Sacred Wolf." Lavendra said. "Release your howl. Open the door. Lead me into the land, for I can change all the worlds to what I envisioned!"
She was about to strike Balto in chest. Suddenly, Sora had broken free of the spell and blocks Lavendra's sword with his Keyblade.
"Forget it!" He shouted. "There's no way you're taking Balto's heart!"
Sora pushes Lavendra's sword away. Jenna had broken free of the spell as well. She tries to get Balto up.
"Jenna, I want you and Balto to get out of here." Sora said, not taking his eyes off Lavendra.
"But…what about you, Sora?" Jenna asked.
"Don't worry about me." Sora replied. "I can take this witch."
Lavendra snorted.
"You're going to eat those words." She said.
Lavendra then lifts up her left hand. A force field was implanted around Sora and Lavendra. Balto, Jenna, and the statue of Mooneye were on the other side.
"Just to save the trouble." Lavendra said. "After all, I don't want the sacred wolf to go too far – once I defeat you."
The battle was about to begin.
"I may not be as strong as I once was, but I have enough power to destroy you, Keyblade Master." Lavendra said.
"Then quit talking and show me what you've got!" Sora shouted.
Lavendra glared at him.
"It's time to show me your true strength!" She shouted.
The battle finally started. Lavendra went first by going straight to Sora in a blink on an eye. Sora blocks all five attacks from her sword by his Keyblade. Sora then tries to strike Lavendra, but she made a fast leap back. Lavendra then strikes Sora with her long sword, sending him up into the air. She quickly got up into the air as well, striking Sora with powerful combos. Sora fells back to the ground. Lavendra dives down and was about to drive her sword into Sora's chest. Sora saw it and quickly blocks the attack. After pushing the sword away, Sora got up and heals himself. Lavendra grins and she – once again – quickly went straight to Sora. However, Sora was one step ahead of her. He dodges the upcoming attack and unleashes powerful combos on Lavendra with his Keyblade. Lavendra backs away.
"Well… You're tougher than I thought." She said.
Sora smirked.
"You didn't think I would fall for the same attack twice, did you?" He asked.
"Well, something told me you wouldn't." Lavendra said. "But it wouldn't hurt to find out if you would, would it? Well, it did hurt."
Sora laughed.
"You found out the hard way." He said.
Lavendra then went straight towards Sora with her sword ready. Sora blocks it and tries to hit Lavendra. But she blocks his attack. They continued to attack eachother and block the other's attacks until they both backed away. Sora and Lavendra started walking in circles with their weapons in front of them, daring eachother to strike first. Lavendra was losing patience so she went first. Sora blocks her attack and released massive combos on the witch with his Keyblade. Lavendra was sick of this. Electrical static was forming in her left hand. She then blasted electricity out on Sora.
"I forgot to tell you I can do that." Lavendra said. "I forgot many things. Then again, that is quite natural for being stuck in an inferno goblet for many years."
Sora was in pain. Lavendra still had him locked with electricity. She started laughing. Sora tries to lift up his Keyblade.
"THUNDER!"
Electrical static was coming out of the tip of his Keyblade, forming a ball of electricity. With all his might, Sora strikes the ball straight to Lavendra's face. Lavendra didn't have time to react. The ball of electricity hits her hard, knocking her out. Sora was free. After healing himself, Sora charges towards Lavendra and unleashes combos. Lavendra woke up and pushes him away. She chuckled.
"If you think this battle is almost over, think again." Lavendra said. "This battle hasn't even started."
She floats up into the air, putting both of her hands up high. Soon, her whole body turned black as the shadows. Sora gasped. Lavendra laughed.
"Now…" She said. "It's time to show you some TRUE darkness!"
In a blink of an eye, Lavendra was already in Sora's face. She unleashed even more powerful attacks on him. If Lavendra was fast before, that was nothing compare to now. Her shadow form made her faster and stronger. Sora finally blocks and tries to attack her, but his Keyblade – strangely – went right through her, leaving no damage. Lavendra laughs at the Keyblade Master's efforts.
"I'm in my dark form." She said. "I can't feel pain from that wretched key."
Lavendra then attacks Sora with her long sword, pushing him away. Sora didn't know how long he could last.
Man… I've never took on an enemy this strong before. He thought. At this rate, I don't know how long I could take from her. There's gotta be a way to stop her. I know there is. I'm just not seeing it yet.
Lavendra grew a sinister grin. Her white teeth and her non-human eyes were the only things Sora could see in her dark form.
"Ah! I just remembered another spell." Lavendra said. "Oh, how much I love this spell. I'm pretty sure you'll be 'shocked' by this, Keyblade Master."
She lifts up her long sword. Electricity was forming from it. Soon hundreds of dark electricity balls went all over the place. They were bouncing from the walls and the force field. Sora had run, dodge, and block the electricity balls. Lavendra laughs.
"Wow, you never cease to amaze me, Keyblade Master." She said. "Not many fighters manage to avoid my dark-lights, but let's see long you can last."
About two dark-lights were heading straight towards Sora. Sora had no choice but to strike them both with his Keyblade. Strangely, the balls turn from dark to light the moment the Keyblade touches them both. One hit and bounced off a wall, the other was heading straight towards Lavendra.
"Wha…. AHHHH!"
The light electricity ball hits Lavendra, giving her a great deal of damage. Sora saw what it did to her.
"Oh yeah!" He said.
Sora then saw that there weren't many dark-balls. They were disappearing. Sora ran to the closes one. Lavendra saw what he was doing.
"Oh no you don't!" She shouted.
Lavendra went straight towards Sora, but he avoids her. Sora then strikes a dark-ball towards Lavendra. She screams in agony.
"How do like that, huh?" Sora asked.
Lavendra was now furious. She ran to Sora and tries to strike him, but he jumps and blocks all of her attacks. Sora saw that there's only one dark-ball left. He ran to it. Lavendra saw it too and got there first.
"Nice try." She said, getting rid of the dark-ball. "But you've fail.
Lavendra strikes Sora with her sword. He fell to the ground. Lavendra then put her long sword on Sora's chest.
"Well, Keyblade Master, even though you've destroyed three of my subordinates and wasted my time from opening Kingdom Wolves, I had fun and I wish to thank you for bringing me the ice crystals and the sacred wolf." She said. "Any last words before I destroy you?"
Before he could reply, Sora saw something moving from behind Lavendra. Then he realized that it's the dark-ball he turned to light a little while ago. He and Lavendra have forgotten all about it. The light electricity ball was going in right position to hit Lavendra behind her back. Sora grins.
"Yeah, it's about time you LIGHTEN UP!"
"What AHHHH!"
The light ball hits Lavendra right in the back. Giving her such powerful damage, Lavendra has turned back into her original form. Sora gets up and starts attacking her. After receiving a powerful combo, Lavendra was finished. The battle was finally over. Lavendra falls on her left knee, dropping her long sword.
"You're a true warrior." She said. "I'll give you that. However, my powers have not fully returned. So I would like a rematch to see who the greatest fighter there is. Until then, fair well."
Lavendra then disappears. Only her long green sword was left. The force field had disappeared as well. Balto and Jenna ran to Sora.
"You did it, Sora!" Jenna said. "You stop that witch from opening Balto's heart."
Sora smiles at her.
"Like I was going to let her take Balto's heart." He said.
Jenna smiles back. Balto kept quiet.
"What is it, Balto?" Sora asked. "Shouldn't you be happy?"
"I am." Balto replied. "It's just…Mooneye. He's not back to normal"
Sora had almost forgotten about Mooneye. He's still a statue.
"Is there a way to change him back?" Jenna asked.
"I can only think of one way." Balto replied.
"Really, what is it?" Sora asked.
Balto took a deep breath before he answered.
"I have to open my heart."
"WHAT?" Sora and Jenna shouted.
"It's the only way." Balto said. "Lavendra made it in order to release Mooneye; I have to open my heart to open Kingdom Wolves. And…I remember Lavendra saying that Kingdom Wolves was closed in your time, Sora. So that means Kingdom Wolves is still free for anyone to take control of it. I don't want that to happen. I love the world the way it is now. I don't ever want it to change, especially for it to be controlled by darkness."
Sora knows how Balto feels. He doesn't want any world to be controlled by darkness. That's why he, Donald, and Goofy worked so hard to defeat Ansem and closed Kingdom Hearts. Right now, it's just like that one day back at Hallow Bastion. Sora had to open his own heart in order to save Kairi and open the pathway to Kingdom Hearts. He was then turned into a Heartless, but was rescued by Kairi and turned back to normal. No doubt the same thing is gonna happen to Balto.
"Please, Sora." Balto said. "I'm asking you to open my heart. You're the only one I can trust to do it."
Sora looks at him.
"All right, you got it." He said.
Jenna wasn't approving to any of this.
"No, Balto!" She said. "You don't know what's gonna happen after you open your heart! I don't want to lose you…"
Balto started nuzzling Jenna and licked her cheek.
"I know." He said. "I don't want to lose you either. But…there's no other way."
Balto sat down. Sora went and grabbed Lavendra's long green sword. Balto stares into the weapon that was used to kill his mother. He didn't want the same weapon to be used to open his heart, but he didn't care as long as it's Sora that's holding the weapon.
"Before you do it, Sora," Balto said. "Promise me – that whatever happens to me, you'll defeat Lavendra and close Kingdom Wolves once and for all."
"I promise, Balto." Sora said. "As long as you promise me something."
"What?"
"That whatever happens to you, promise me, Jenna, Kodi, and everyone else in Nome that you'll come back." Sora said.
Balto was surprised.
"I…I don't know what's gonna happen to me…"
"Just promise!" Sora shouted. "As long as you have a promise, it'll keep from going straight into the darkness!"
"Sora is right, Balto." Jenna asked. "Promise me that you'll come back to me. I need you."
Balto wasn't as afraid as before. He doesn't know how blissful he is to be around people that really care about him. It is the most blissful thing he ever had.
"All right, I promise to Jenna, Sora, Kodi, Aleu, Kavik, Boris, Muk, Luk, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Rosy, and everyone else that no matter what happens to me, I'll find a way to return." He said.
After that was said, Sora lifts up the long sword, ready to strike Balto's chest. Jenna took a few steps back and looks away. Sora then plunges the sword into Balto's chest. It started flashing light. Soon, all of the statues of the ice crystals started glowing. Then spirits of a fox, wolverine, bear, and a caribou came out of the ice crystals. They all went straight into Balto's body. His body started glowing light. The long sword turned to dust and disappeared. A second later, a spirit of a massive and powerful-looking wolf walked out of Balto's body. Its fur was like silver and its eyes were like gold. The wolf made a tremendous howl. A howl that was like the mightiest of all wolves. Soon a swirling vortex was opening inside the gate. The wolf then disappeared. The portal to Kingdom Wolves was finally open.
"Balto…I…Balto…I"
Sora and Jenna were running straight to Balto. He was fading away. Mooneye was back to normal. He then saw what Balto did.
"No!" He shouted.
Mooneye ran to Balto as well, but they were too late. Balto had disappeared. He was gone.
xRuler Line Does Not Workx
End of chapter. In the next one, Lavendra shows her true form. Sora, Jenna, and Mooneye have to escape the castile before it collaspes. But what about Balto? Will he truly remember his promise? You'll just have to wait and see. P.S. I'm planning on making a prequal of this. I'll have more info on it later.